Wittman Buttercup

The Wittman W-5 Buttercup is a two place aircraft designed and built by Steve Wittman in 1938.[1] Designated as the Buttercup Model W,[1] the original aircraft is housed in the Experimental Aircraft Association, EAA AirVenture Museum in Oshkosh, WI.

Buttercup
Wittman Buttercup on display
Role Homebuilt aircraft
Designer Steve Wittman
First flight Original - 1938, Replica - April 14, 2002
Introduction Original - 1938, Replica - 2002
Variants Wittman Tailwind
Wittman Buttercup

The Buttercup was considered as the basis for a four place certified production model by Fairchild Aircraft. Fairchild executives were impressed with the aircraft that chance landed at their factory airport in Hagerstown, Maryland. Wittman sold production rights, but Fairchild did not pursue the effort due to wartime production obligations.[2]

Experimental Aircraft Association member Earl Luce Jr. developed a replica Buttercup design, which first flew on April 14, 2002.[3] He made a set of plans for his design, available for home builders.[4] On 28 May 2023, 70-year-old Earl Luce Jr., said to be an excellent pilot, and his passenger were killed when the buttercup crashed as he was flying over Orleans County, New York, US.[5]

Specifications (1938 Wittman Buttercup - Model W - N18268)

Data from [1]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 1
  • Capacity: 2
  • Length: 20 ft 3 in (6.17 m)
  • Wingspan: 30 ft 0 in (9.14 m)
  • Height: 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
  • Empty weight: 690 lb (313 kg)
  • Max takeoff weight: 1,390 lb (630 kg)
  • Powerplant: 1 × piston engine , 85 hp (63 kW)

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 145 mph (233 km/h, 126 kn) (Vne)
  • Cruise speed: 123 mph (198 km/h, 107 kn)

References
  1. "Wittman Buttercup Model W". Oshkosh, WI: AirVenture Museum. 3 October 2006. Archived from the original on 26 November 2009.
  2. Jones, Mary (September 2012). "50 Years + and still flying: You're building a what where? - Steve Wittman's Buttercup" (PDF). Experimenter. Vol. 12, no. 1. p. 14.
  3. EAA Sport Aviation, vol. 51, no. 6, p. 22, June 2002
  4. "LuceAir LLC ~ the Homebuilt Rag & Tube Aircraft Experts ~ Wittman W-5 Buttercup". 10 June 2016. Archived from the original on 7 December 2022.
  5. Rivers, Tom; Kropf, Ginny (30 May 2023). "Names of pilot and passenger released from fatal plane crash Sunday in Yates". Orleans Hub.
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